Adjustable hair styling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A hair styling device having an adjustable diameter and methods of use are disclosed. The hair styling device includes a handle portion and a brush portion including sizing barrels which may be rotated to adjust the diameter of the brush portion.

This application claims priority from Provisional Application 60/838,883, filed on Aug. 21, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments described herein relate generally to hair styling apparatuses and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for a hair styling tool with an adjustable diameter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional hairbrushes are made in a variety of sizes to perform different functions. Typically, hairbrushes are composed of a handle portion and a brushing portion. The handle portion is adapted to be easily held while the brushing portion is used to change the style of a subject's hair. The brushing portion, often coated with either firm or flexible bristles, is used to curl, contour, and shape the subject's hairstyle. The size of the brushing portion determines it's utility for a variety of different hairstyling functions. For example, creating small curls in hair requires a brushing portion with a small diameter; large curls similarly require brushing portions of larger diameter. For this reason, it is often necessary to purchase and maintain a large variety of hairbrushes. Accordingly, there is a need for a hair styling device having an adjustable brushing portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

FIG. 1B is a side view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

FIG. 2A is an end cross-sectional view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

FIG. 2B is an end cross-sectional view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

FIGS. 5A-5C are side views of sizing barrels of various shapes according to embodiments described herein.

FIG. 6A is a side cross sectional view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

FIG. 6B is a side cross sectional view of a hair styling device according to an embodiment described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments that may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use them, and it is to be understood that structural, logical, or procedural changes may be made to the specific embodiments disclosed.

Embodiments of the invention provide a hair styling device having an adjustable diameter. FIG. 1A shows a hair styling device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention contracted to a minimum effective diameter, while FIG. 1B shows the same hair styling device 100 expanded to a maximum effective diameter. The hair styling device 100 includes a handle portion 101, a connector portion 104, and a brush portion 102.

The handle portion 101 may include a grip 103, and a handle end-piece 106. The grip 103 and handle end-piece 106 may be made of metal, wood, rubber, plastic or some combination thereof and may be coated with rubber or plastic to provide a more comfortable surface for a user to hold. The grip 103 may be covered with a surface texture, such as bumps, cushions, or pads, to provide additional friction to provide a user with additional control of the hair styling device 100. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the grip 103 is depicted as cylindrical with a rounded handle end-piece 106. In other embodiments, the grip 103 may have other shapes, such as oval or polyhedron, and/or may have a contoured outer surface, such as grooves to accommodate a user's fingers, or other designs. The shape of the handle end-piece 106 may likewise may be modified.

The brush portion 102 may include a number of sizing barrels 105, a brush end-piece 112, and a support plate 326 (FIGS. 3 and 4). FIG. 2A shows an end cut away view of the hair styling device 100 with elements omitted for clarity, contracted to a minimum effective diameter, while FIG. 2B shows the same hair styling device 100 expanded to a maximum effective diameter. As shown in FIG. 2A, sizing the barrels 105 are each connected to an axle 306 of a sizing gear 302 and an axle 114 in the brush end-piece 112 (FIGS. 3 and 4) such that the axis of rotation for each sizing barrel 105 is parallel along the length of the sizing barrel 105, but is arranged away from the center of the sizing barrel 105. The sizing gears 302 are interlocked with a center gear 301, such that each sizing gear 302 rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the center gear 301. Thus, when the center gear 301 is rotated on its axle 304, for example, in a counter-clockwise direction as shown by Arrow A, the sizing gears 302 will rotate in a clock-wise direction as shown by Arrow B. As shown in FIG. 2B, the sizing barrels 105 will rotate clock-wise with the sizing gears 302 from a the minimum effective diameter D1 and increase the effective diameter of the hair styling device 100 to a maximum effective diameter D2. Of course, the diameter of the hair styling device may be adjusted to any effective diameter between the minimum effective diameter D1 and the maximum effective diameter D2. The center gear 301 and the sizing gears 302 may be located in the connector 104. The center gear 301 and the sizing gears 302 may be of any size, such that the gear differential between the center gear 301 and the sizing gears 302 may be customized to change the relative speeds of rotation of the gears 301, 302.

The number of sizing barrels 105 used may be varied according to the desired application. The number of sizing barrels 105 may range between two to twelve or more. The diameters of the center gear 301, the sizing gears 302, and the sizing barrels 105 may be adjusted to various sizes. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the sizing gears 302 are spaced far enough apart so that the sizing barrels 105 may rotate 360° on their axis. In other embodiments, the sizing gears 302 may be spaced more closely together so that the sizing barrels 105 may stop each other from rotating 360° and may be rotated backward and forward to decrease and increase the diameter. In one embodiment, the sizing barrels 105 may extend radially past the edge of the brush end-piece 112 even when in a closed state, such as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A. In other embodiments, the sizing barrels 105 may be sized such that their effective minimum diameter is less than the diameter brush end-piece 112.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show cut away side views of hair styling devices 300, 400 according to various embodiments. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the center gear 301 may be driven by an electric motor 308, controlled by a button 310. In one embodiment, the electric motor 308 may be controlled by two buttons to cause the electric motor 308 to rotate the center gear 301 in a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction. The electric motor 308 may be powered by batteries or by alternating current provided from a wall plug. In an embodiment in which the electric motor 308 is powered by batteries, the handle end-piece 106 may be detachable, such as by a hinge or a screw, and batteries to power the electric motor 308 may be arranged inside the grip 103. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the center gear 301 may be driven manually by turning a wheel 316 arranged on the connector 104 and coupled to the center gear 301.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sizing barrels 105 may be held between the support plate 326 and the brush end-piece 112. The support plate 326 and the brush end-piece 112 may be connected by a center support 330. In another embodiment, the axles 114, 306 may be replaced with one long axle extending through each sizing barrel 105 and the center support 330 could optionally be omitted.

The sizing barrels 105 may be held at a desired effective diameter by a locking mechanism 314, 318 that may be used to immobilize the sizing barrels 105. This may be accomplished, for example, by a locking mechanism 314 arranged to immobilize the center gear 304, as shown in FIG. 3, or may be accomplished by a locking mechanism 318 arranged to lock the center gear axel 304, as shown in FIG. 4. In one embodiment, the locking mechanism 314, 318 may include a button 344, 348 that may be pressed by a user to lock the sizing barrels 105 into a desired effective diameter.

The sizing barrels 105 may be made of materials such as metal, such as stainless steel, wood, rubber, plastic, or some combination thereof. The sizing barrels 105 may be formed to various lengths and diameters depending on their desired applications. In one embodiment, the sizing barrels 105 may be hollow and may have a large number of vents arranged in the sizing barrels 105 to allow for increased air flow through the sizing barrels 105. In one embodiment, the sizing barrels 105 may each be covered in bristles for hair grooming. In another embodiment, a cylindrical cover of elastic material coated with bristles may be placed around the sizing barrels 105 such that the cover expands and contracts as the sizing barrels 105 are rotated.

In various embodiments, the sizing barrels 105 may be solid or hollow and may be formed to have various cross-sectional shapes, such as round, oval, square, triangular, or other polyhedrons. In another embodiment, the sizing barrels 105 may have an irregular shape, such as having concave or convex sides. FIG. 5A shows a sizing barrel 105A that has a round cross-sectional shape and a hole 502 arranged in each end and off center to be connected to axles 114, 306 (FIGS. 3 and 4). In another embodiment, the holes 502 and axles 114, 306 may be reversed so that the axles 114, 306 extend from the sizing barrel 105 and the holes 502 are arranged in the brush end-cap 112 and sizing gears 302, respectively. FIG. 5B shows a sizing barrel 105B according to another embodiment, in which the sizing barrel 105B has a round cross-sectional shape at either end and a convex, irregular shape towards the middle. Sizing barrel 105B allows for a greater maximum effective diameter when rotated, due to the convex edge. FIG. 5C shows a sizing barrel 105C according to another embodiment, in which the sizing barrel 105C has an elliptical cross-sectional shape, which also allows for a greater maximum effective diameter. In an embodiment where the sizing barrels 105 have a shape in which a cross section of the sizing barrels 105 has a different radius at different positions, such as sizing barrels 105B and 105C, the axis of rotation of the sizing barrel 105 may be arranged in the center of the sizing barrel 105.

In one embodiment, the center support 330 may include a heating element designed to heat the sizing barrels 105. In another embodiment, the sizing barrels 105 may themselves include heating elements. In one embodiment, the sizing barrels 105 may be hollow and made of metal, such as stainless steel, and may have a number of vents or may be made of a mesh to allow heat and air to pass more easily through the sizing barrels 105.

In one embodiment, the brush portion 102 may be detachable from the handle portion 101 so that the brush portion 102 may be left in a user's hair to set a curl. FIG. 6A shows a cut-away side view of a hair styling device 600 in which the connector 104 may be separated to detach the brush portion 102 from the handle portion 101. The connector 104 includes a latch mechanism 332 that operates to hold the connector 104 together. The latch mechanism 332 may include a single latch or multiple latches. The latch mechanism 332 may be arranged on the outside or the inside of the hair styling device. FIG. 6B shows a cut-away side view of the hair styling device 600 of FIG. 6A in which the latch mechanism 332 has been released and the connector 104 has been separated. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the connector 104 separates in a location such that the gears 301, 302, latching mechanism 318, and center gear axle 304 remain attached to the brush portion 102. In another embodiment, the connecter 104 may separate such that the gears 301, 302, latching mechanism 318, and center gear axle 304 remain attached to the handle portion 101.

A method of using the hair styling device 600 will now be described. In one embodiment, the effective diameter of the hair styling device 600 may be adjusted to a desired effective diameter by rotating the sizing barrels 105 and the desired effective diameter may be locked in place using the locking mechanism 318. The brush portion 102 may optionally be heated either by an internal heating element or by an external heat source. A lock of hair may be wound around the brush portion 102. The brush portion 102 may be disconnected from the handle portion 101 by releasing the latching mechanism 332. The brush portion 102 may be left in the lock of hair to set a curl. The brush portion may be removed from the lock of hair by unwinding the curl or optionally, by releasing the locking mechanism 318 to reduce the effective diameter of the styling device 600.

The above description and drawings are only to be considered illustrative of specific embodiments, which achieve the features and advantages described herein. Modification and substitutions to specific structures and methods can be made and features of the various disclosed embodiments may be combined. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as being limited by the foregoing description and drawings showing illustrative embodiments, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A hair styling device comprising: a handle portion; and a brush portion coupled to the handle portion, the brush portion comprising a plurality of sizing barrels, wherein a diameter of the brush portion is changed by rotating the sizing barrels.
 2. The hair styling device of claim 1, wherein each sizing barrel is arranged to rotate on an axis arranged substantially parallel to the length of the sizing barrel and away from the center of the sizing barrel.
 3. The hair styling device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sizing gears, wherein a sizing gear is coupled to each sizing barrel, such that the sizing barrel rotates with the sizing gear.
 4. The hair styling device of claim 3, further comprising a center gear interlocked with the sizing gears such that the sizing gears rotate in a direction opposite to a direction of the center gear.
 5. The hair styling device of claim 4, wherein the center gear is coupled to and may be rotated by an electric motor.
 6. The hair styling device of claim 4, wherein the center gear is coupled to and may be rotated by a manually adjustable wheel.
 7. The hair styling device of claim 1, wherein said sizing barrels are cylindrical.
 8. The hair styling device of claim 1, wherein said sizing barrels are hollow and comprise a plurality of vents.
 9. The hair styling device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bristles arranged on the surface of the sizing barrels.
 10. The hair styling device of claim 1, further comprising an elastic cover comprising a plurality of bristles arranged around the sizing barrels.
 11. The hair styling device of claim 1, further comprising a heating element.
 12. The hair styling device of claim 1, wherein said brush portion is detachable from said handle portion.
 13. The hair styling device of claim 12, further comprising a latching mechanism to couple the brush portion to the handle portion.
 14. The hair styling device of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism to restrict the sizing barrels from moving.
 15. The hair styling device of claim 1, further comprising a bottom support plate arranged at the bottom of the sizing barrels, a brush end-piece arranged at the top of the sizing barrels, and a center support coupling the bottom support plate to the brush end-piece.
 16. A hair styling device comprising: a handle portion; and a brush portion comprising, a plurality of sizing barrels, each sizing barrel arranged to rotate on an axis arranged substantially parallel to the length of the sizing barrel and away from the center of the sizing barrel, a plurality of sizing gears, a sizing gear being coupled to each sizing barrel such that the sizing barrel rotates with the sizing gear, and a center gear interlocked with the sizing gears, wherein a diameter of the brush portion is changed by rotating the sizing barrels.
 17. A method of using a hair styling device having a brush portion and a handle portion, the method comprising: adjusting a diameter of the brush portion of the hair styling device by rotating a plurality of sizing barrels, and wrapping a lock of hair around the brush portion.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising heating the sizing barrels.
 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising detaching the brush portion from the handle portion after wrapping the lock of hair around the brush portion.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein rotating the plurality of sizing barrels comprises rotating a central gear interlocked with a plurality of sizing gears coupled to the sizing barrels. 